L’Aquila, November 29th, 2022
P-CAR – the ESA backed project funded by ASI to validate positioning devices for use within connected and autonomous vehicles is stepping into the deployment phase after having passed the Test Readiness Review (TRR) with acceptance of the Test Plan, Test Procedures and Test Specifications. The Laboratory – unique in Europe – and a pillar of the EMERGE strategic initiative co-ordinated by Radiolabs, will be integrated into the Center of Excellence of EMERGE created by the University of L’Aquila, thus enhancing the research ecosystem in the Region Abruzzo to validating and promoting the use of Galileo and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) – along with 5G communications – for connected and autonomous driving.
The architecture of this laboratory has been conceived as the master of a geo-distributed facility to be connected with other test bed located in any part of the world thanks to its cloud-based solution. This collaborative approach is ideal to develop quicker, more reliable, and safer positioning units by replicating the complexity of different operational environments and by on-field testing campaigns to validate the performance of the positioning units for supporting the certification phase.
The P-CAR laboratory will evolve in the next phase 2 to support the validation of safety-relevant automation functions since safety and security issues for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles depends mainly by sensor-based technologies, reliable connectivity including satcom and resiliency to cyber-attacks. Yet Artificial Intelligence technologies will have to be addressed and validated because they are playing an increasing role for achieving higher levels of automation.
